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.News » Local Share Email this articlePrint this articlePoloncarz Warns Of New Telephone ScamBy WKBW News
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Poloncarz Warns Of New Telephone Scam
February 27, 2011
Updated Feb 27, 2011 at 12:15 AM EST
BUFFALO, NY—( RELEASE ) Today, Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz warned of a telephone phishing scam currently targeting Erie County residents and even county employees.
Identity thieves are contacting potential victims to warn them that their bank account was supposedly compromised. Unlike typical phishing scams that use email, this one is initiated by a phone call, currently to the victim’s mobile phone from a (732) area code.
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Upon answering the call, an automated voice message announces that the victim’s “Western New York Credit Union debit card has been deactivated” and to “reactivate or speak with security, please press #1 now.”
The goal is to get the victim to call back a phone number and enter their bank account information.
“The scam works by warning you that your debit card has been deactivated and then urging you to provide your account information so that it can be reactivated,” said Poloncarz. “People may fall for this scam because the automated message refers to the financial institution as being the ‘Western New York Credit Union’ and there in fact exists a highly respected local credit union with a similar name - WNY Federal Credit Union. This morning I spoke to Marie Betti, the local president of the WNY Federal Credit Union, to express my concerns and she confirmed the calls were not being sent out by their organization and they are warning their depositors to not fall for the scam. Considering the calls are being received by many county residents, regardless of whether they are a member of a credit union, it is important that all residents be aware of this scam and be vigilant to these scam artists.”
Poloncarz then warned, “As soon as you are asked for any sensitive personal information, that’s when you should be suspicious and just hang up. Your bank or credit card company WILL NEVER call you and ask for your account information. It’s a scam. With this information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.”
Erie County residents are advised to report such solicitations to the Erie County Comptroller’s Whistleblower Hotline at (716) 858-7722, the New York State Attorney General’s office at (800) 771-7755 or the Federal Trade Commission at (877) 382-4357.
Poloncarz noted a number of telephone scam tips, including:
· Never provide your personal or account information or password in response to an unsolicited request. If you did not initiate the communication, you should not provide any information;
· Contact the company yourself. Ask the caller for their name, department and phone extension and then contact the company at the number you know to be correct to determine if the call is legitimate; and,
· Review account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct. If your account statement is late in arriving, call to find out why. If you have Internet account access, periodically review activity online to catch suspicious activity.
If you believe you have given personal information to an illegitimate source, you should contact your financial institution and credit reporting agencies immediately and monitor your credit files and account statements closely.
Yes the building has major issues BUT, the high ASSESSMENT for a COMMERCIAL property
City of Lackawanna
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Municipality of City of Lackawanna
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SWIS: 140900 Tax ID: 142.37-4-1.11
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Tax Map ID / Property Data
Status: Active Roll Section: Taxable
Address: 539 Ridge Rd Property Class: 620 - Religious Site Property Class: 620 - Religious
Site: Com 1 In Ag. District: Error
Zoning Code: CBD - Central Bus Dis Bldg. Style: Not Applicable
Neighborhood: 00105 - 2nd Ward School District: Lackawanna
Legal Property Description: Legal description not given for property
Total Acreage/Size: 2.12 Equalization Rate: ----
Land Assessment: 2011 - Tentative
$34,000
2010 - N/A Total Assessment: 2011 - Tentative
$221,500
2010 - N/A
Full Market Value: 2011 - Tentative
$221,5002010 - N/A Market Value/sqft: N/A
Deed Book: 2129 Deed Page: 153
Grid East: 1081679 Grid North: 1029555
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Special Districts for 2011
(Tentative)
No information available for the 2011 roll year.
Special Districts for 2010
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Primary 90,482 sq ft
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Taxes on the building is what per year? Very roughly appr. $10,000/yr?
St. Barbara's closed when---about 3 years ago? It was OK to be in then.
I know when it shut the City assessed them at appr. $800,000 and a neighborhood group of Parishioner's fought them to lower it, maybe to $1/2 mil......
Follow the money my good friend always tells me......follow the money!
The Comptroller put "The Bond" on the agenda? Hmmm--what's up with this?
" It is in the city’s best interest, he said, to receive and file the bond ordinance and obtain “hard numbers and get a list of the streets” in need of repair from Public Works Commissioner Thomas N. Love.
Meanwhile, two city firefighters at Monday’s meeting expressed concern that years of neglect have hurt the three firehouses. Firefighter James J. Fino said that Love, who did not attend the meeting, estimated that it would cost $1.3 million to make external repairs to them. "
March 7, 2011 Lackawanna City Council Agenda:
Communications from Department/Division Heads:
7. City Comptroller – seeks Council approval of bond ordinance for resurfacing of streets and repairs to fire houses.
Ordinances
Bond ordinance for resurfacing of streets, repairs to fire houses.
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Mr. Jaworski is Council President---talk about Love's favorite word, "grandstanding!", he could have held it till it was firmed up and ready for a vote, he had no problem keeping many of my proactive agenda items from the public.
Firefighters---I feel very sad for you all, that you have to keep coming to meetings and beg them for a safe building. Again, Polanski and Company have been in office since 2000---what have they really done to preserve and improve OUR City property and services? What does OSHA say?